


Where the Border Ends

by seungminish



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Boys In Love, Childhood Friends, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Han Jisung | Han & Hwang Hyunjin are Best Friends, Hwang Hyunjin & Kim Seungmin are Best Friends, Hwang Hyunjin is Whipped, Hwang Hyunjin is a Sweetheart, Kim Seungmin is Whipped, M/M, Prince! Hyunjin, Prince! Seungmin, Royalty, Star-crossed, im whipped for royal aus so here this is, prince AU, royal au, this has been in my drafts for so long oml
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2020-11-07 14:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20818811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seungminish/pseuds/seungminish
Summary: “May I at least have the honor of knowing your name?” He asked with a surge of courage, looking at the other male with hope and curiosity.“Kim Seungmin, Royal Prince of Magnolia Kingdom. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” the shorter said with a smile, and Hyunjin could’ve sworn his heart stopped at that moment. He felt his life flash before his eyes, the memories of his thirteenth birthday and nights with Seungmin and Kkami flipping through his mind in rapid succession. He almost couldn’t believe his eyes; the boy he thought had left him forever without any explanation was standing here, right before his eyes, looking as beautiful as ever and making his heart pound faster than it ever had. He almost didn’t know what to feel; should he be happy, disappointed, curious? Or a mixture of all three? He couldn’t decide, and settled for saying the one thing that kept resonating in his mind.“Lily?”- - -Hwang Hyunjin and Kim Seungmin: princes of enemy kingdoms, never meant to meet or fall in love. However, one fateful encounter changes that.[discontinued]





	1. where they met

_Seungmin_

Seungmin looked upward from his scuffed, dirty dress shoes, of which he was sure he would need to clean when he returned to the castle. But he needed to get away from there, from the hustle and bustle of the royal family and the constant reminders of the desperate need for him to be the “prince that had no flaws.” Truthfully enough, twelve-year-old Royal Prince Kim Seungmin was a poster child--he followed every rule, applied every etiquette, and never strayed from anything less than “perfect”. 

Well, never _until now_. 

Seungmin was slowly starting to regret his decision to leave the castle through the small, hidden tunnel in his bedroom that no one knew about but him. When he finally saw light at the end of the dark tunnel, he sprinted towards it, carefully climbing out of the exit in order to make sure his clothes didn’t get dirty. He smiled as he felt fresh air hit his face; it had been so long since he’d been _outside _freely, to breathe _normal _air without feeling like he was choking from pressure. He loosened his collar, letting the air circulate through his body as he ran through a tall field of grass. He felt so _free_, like nothing could stop him, and he couldn’t remember the last time he felt so _exhilarated_. In the castle, he constantly felt suffocated, pressured to be “perfect”, and just plain _unhappy _as he read textbook after textbook, practiced etiquette after etiquette, manner after manner, sang note after note, and pressed key after key of his grand piano in melodic symphonies. Sure, he was _talented_, and probably damn near _perfect_, but he felt like it all came at the cost of his happiness.

Seungmin slowed to a stop from his run, and he breathed heavily as he shook his head, determined to forget all thoughts of the royal life behind him. For now, while he was outside, he would cherish what he had before he had to go back and resume his life as Royal Prince Kim Seungmin, instead of as the _normal human _Kim Seungmin. He looked at his watch; _3:23 pm _it read, and he breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he still had a little more than half an hour before afternoon tea time and then a two-hour piano lesson. His heart was beating crazily; he was so, so _scared _of being caught, but at the same time, he felt so _excited_, so _normal._

As he reached the end of the grassy field, he came upon what seemed to be a small, wooden gate. A small, stone sign hung just above it, with the words _Magnolia-Aeraera Border _messily engraved on it. Seungmin recognized his own kingdom, Magnolia, but _Aeraera_? He’d only briefly heard about it from his mother and father, and every instance in which it was mentioned only brought anger and grief to the conversation, as well as a stern _“It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with_, _Seungmin_,” whenever he asked about it. 

He knew he shouldn’t cross the gate, because obviously his parents wouldn’t have such a negative reaction if Aeraera was good. But he couldn’t help but feel a small inkling of curiosity as he stared at the lush green trees and their delicious-looking fruit that hung overhead and merely a gate away. So he took a deep breathe of courage and pushed through the wooden gate, careful not to make a sound from paranoia of a sudden ambush. He breathed a sigh of relief when no such thing occurred, and he began to walk carefully through the trees, staring in awe at the colorful flowers and nature around him. He listened to the quiet tweets of birds and low chirps of insects, wanting to take in every aspect of the outside of the prim, proper kingdom and engrain it into his memory. Seungmin bent down to pick a beautiful flower, admiring how it was so perfect, so flawless with its pretty pink petals and soft, heavenly scent, when suddenly, something pounced on top of him. 

Seungmin struggled to open his eyes as he felt something wet press against his cheek in a licking motion, and he felt extremely alarmed at the action but couldn’t quite move because of the weight on top of him. With his eyes closed, he wrapped his arms around the small body of his attacker and pulled it off of himself, shaking his head in an attempt to get the wet feeling off of his face. When he did so unsuccessfully, he opened his eyes to see a black and white, long-haired chihuahua panting happily in his hands, and Seungmin blinked for a few seconds as the reality of the situation dawned upon him. The dog had a shining, golden tag engraved with the name _Kkami_, and Seungmin looked at the excited dog with a raised eyebrow. “...Kkami?” 

The dog nodded excitedly and jumped out of Seungmin’s grasp and into his lap, pressing his paws against Seungmin’s chest and licking his face once again in an endearing gesture. “Stop, stop,” Seungmin said with a laugh, but the dog simply persisted happily. 

“Kkami! There you are! I have been looking everywhere for- Oh,” a voice called out, and Seungmin observed as Kkami jumped off of his lap and into the arms of a tall child not much older than Seungmin himself. “Who are you?” The child asked, his eyes widening as he looked at the fellow child in front of him. 

Seungmin hurriedly got up and dusted himself off, bowing curtly. “Royal Prince Kim Seungmin of Magnolia Kingdom. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Seungmin recited, the greeting that his etiquette tutor had made him repeat possibly more than a million times rolling off of his tongue easily. Only after he said it did he realize his mistake; he had uttered his name to a citizen of the kingdom his parents had warned him against, and his eyes widened at the slip-up. “I mean, um-” He stuttered, not able to make an excuse for confidently declaring his status to what was supposed to be his enemy. 

“Oh! I suppose you and I are similar, then,” the boy exclaimed with surprise, his eyes turning into crescents as he smiled happily, to Seungmin’s surprise. Seungmin looked at him with a raised eyebrow, somewhat confused at the statement. “Royal Prince Hwang Hyunjin of Aeraera Kingdom. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance as well,” he said with a bow, and Seungmin let out a small _“Oh” _as he looked at the taller, whose face had morphed into one of confusion. “Magnolia? I feel like I’ve heard the name before,” he mumbled before looking at Seungmin. “If you’re from _there_, just what are you doing _here_?” 

Seungmin blushed from embarrassment. “I… Well, it’s quite a long story,” he mumbled, for some strange reason feeling somewhat compelled to tell his new acquaintance of his situation at home. But Hyunjin was just that, an _acquaintance_, and so Seungmin decided against it. He fiddled nervously with the stem of the flower in his hand, not quite sure how to word an explanation without revealing that he felt so suffocated by his home environment. 

Hyunjin seemed to understand, however, and Seungmin breathed a sigh of relief when the taller changed the subject. “What’s that in your hand?” Hyunjin gestured toward the shorter’s hand, which was still fiddling with the stem of the flower. 

“A lily stargazer,” Seungmin muttered with a soft smile as he looked down at the flower (the textbook of flowers he’d studied was useful after all), admiring it in all of its natural beauty. He was so enamored by the flower that he jumped a little when Hyunjin put Kkami down and gently took it from him, subsequently placing the crooked stem behind Seungmin’s ear and adjusting the flower so that it was placed firmly. Seungmin looked at the other boy in confusion, but blushed when the taller smiled happily as he admired his work, his eyes turning into crescents once again. “Pardon-”

“It’s pretty, like you,” Hyunjin said as he pushed a loose strand of hair behind Seungmin’s ear shamelessly. Seungmin’s eyes grew wide at the gesture, and he blushed a deep red as he took a step back from Hyunjin, not quite used to the physical affection or sweet words. “Oh, my apologies, I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable-” Hyunjin said with alarm as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, a rosy blush on his face. “It was Kkami’s idea,” he muttered, looking down at his feet from embarrassment. 

Seungmin laughed amusedly as he gently tapped the lily on his ear, feeling the soft curve of the petals as the reality of the situation dawned on him. “I wasn’t uncomfortable. Just a little surprised,” he mumbled, finally looking up at Hyunjin. “Thank you,” Seungmin breathed out, gracing Hyunjin with a genuine smile that he was sure he hadn’t worn in quite a while. 

Hyunjin stared at him for a few moments silently, and Seungmin could only wonder what he was thinking before the taller boy blushed again and sputtered out his next words. “I-it was nothing, really,” he mumbled as he looked at the ground, gently kicking it as he avoided Seungmin’s eyes. “Besides, you should be thanking Kkami. It was his idea, after all,” Hyunjin joked with a deep blush, leaning down to pet his dog, who was barking and yapping happily at the sound of his name. 

Seungmin’s eyes widened from amusement before he walked over to Hyunjin and Kkami, also leaning down to pat the cheerful dog’s head. “Thank you, Kkami,” Seungmin played along, smiling happily as the dog licked his hand and nuzzled his leg comfortably. As Seungmin looked down at his hand, the time _3:52 _shone on his watch, and he let out a surprised gasp. “I must take my leave,” Seungmin said hastily, standing up and brushing off his clothes hurriedly. His heart pounded sadly; he didn’t _want _to go at all, because he felt like for the first time, he was actually _enjoying _himself. But alas, he wasn’t meant to be in Hyunjin and Kkami’s company any longer, and so he quickly took steps back from the two and turned away from them. “Maybe we’ll see each other again, if we’re lucky,” Seungmin said, flashing a soft smile and wave at them before pushing through the gate and shutting it behind him. “Goodbye!” He didn’t stop waving at them as he ran from the gate, his heart pounding wildly and ecstatically from a mixture of happiness and apprehension. 

“Goodbye, lily!” Seungmin heard Hyunjin call out, and the younger turned to see Hyunjin waving enthusiastically at him and Kkami barking happily. Seungmin blinked slowly, smiling joyfully before full turning around and sprinting across the field of grass, the nickname ‘_lily_’ resonating in his mind with every step. He found it strangely endearing, especially since he’d never had anyone address him with a nickname. Seungmin knew he shouldn’t be thinking too much of the gesture, but truthfully enough, he’d never truly had anyone he was close enough to share nicknames with. 

Seungmin quickly sprinted through the tunnels and entered a dimly lit hallway, feeling around for a loose brick in the wall before pressing on it abruptly. He stepped back as the wall in front of him turned, revealing his room on the other side. It was a very grand, lavish room, decorated intricately with golden-bordered scarlet walls. A large king-sized bed laid in the middle of the large room, covered by a golden-lace canopy and furnished with circular, gold-colored pillows and scarlet silk sheets. He hastily went in and pushed the wall closed, sinking back against it as he breathed heavily. He took a few breaths before standing up again, brushing the loose dirt off of his clothes and using a small towel to wipe off any excess dirt or debris from his shoes. He stood in front of the long mirror of his room, sighing a breath of relief at his cleanliness before jolting at the sound of a sharp knock at his bedroom’s door. 

“Your Highness, it’s tea time,” Seungmin heard from outside the large, white door, and he let out a sigh, not wanting to go back to normal life after what he had just experienced. But he plastered a smile on his face, reminding himself that he would hopefully see Hyunjin tomorrow before he took a deep breath and opened the door, his dress shoes clacking lightly against the floor. 

_Tomorrow_. 

. . .

The simple idea of _tomorrow _turned into _days and days_, the next day, the day after that, and soon enough, _month after month_. Hyunjin and Seungmin (and of course, Kkami) grew practically inseparable, visiting each other during every spare moment they had. Originally, Seungmin had been only visiting Hyunjin for half an hour, but now, they had both coordinated their schedules to be together whenever they could. Day and night, morning, afternoon, evening, all of it consisted of _at least _a few minutes together, because the two boys just couldn’t get enough of each other’s presences. 

It was currently the night of September 22nd, 184 days (yes, Seungmin counted) from the first time they met, and Seungmin and Hyunjin laid in the grass of the large field, staring up at the stars with their hands intertwined comfortably and the sides of their heads touching each other. The two were laughing about something Hyunjin said, and Seungmin smacked Hyunjin’s shoulder, his face red as he clutched his stomach from laughter. Kkami was situated between the two of them, his head between the two humans’ as he barked happily. 

“Lily,” Hyunjin muttered after their laughter had finally died down, and Seungmin turned his head to the side to look at him. Hyunjin sat up from the grass, sitting criss-cross as he looked down at Seungmin. “It’s a special day today, right?” Hyunjin said with a soft smile, picking up Kkami to place the dog sitting upright in his lap. Hyunjin lifted Kkami’s small paws to play with them and make a small waving motion as he smiled at Seungmin, who simply looked straight up at the stars. “Did you think I would forget if you didn’t talk about it?”

“Maybe,” Seungmin said with a sigh as he sat up, sitting cross-legged across from Hyunjin and looking into his eyes, which were shining just as brightly as the stars in the sky. “I was getting a little worried that you _did _forget. Couldn’t you have said something earlier to spare me the anxiety?” Seungmin whined, softly whacking Hyunjin’s shoulder as the older laughed lightly. 

“Sorry,” Hyunjin apologized, letting go of Kkami’s hands and smiling softly at Seungmin. “I was… waiting for the right moment,” he continued, to which Seungmin looked at him with confusion. Seungmin watched curiously as Hyunjin reached into the left pocket of his slacks to gently pull out two matching necklaces, the only difference being the color of the stone engraved into them. “Happy birthday, lily,” Hyunjin muttered, holding out the blue-colored gem necklace to Seungmin and holding the red version of it in his own hand. Seungmin simply stared at the necklace, his eyes widening at the sight of it. “Yes, it is for you,” Hyunjin said with a laugh, putting the red necklace around his own neck before twirling his finger at Seungmin. “Can you turn around?”

Seungmin nodded, his face still starstruck from awe as he turned around and lifted up his head. Hyunjin lifted Kkami off of his lap and gently looped the necklace around Seungmin’s neck, fastening it before patting Seungmin’s neck and sitting back in his previous position. The younger fiddled with the stone, turning around to look at Hyunjin with sparkling, happy eyes. “It’s pretty,” Seungmin mumbled before looking at the stone again, a soft smile on his face. _Blue sapphire: a symbol of sincerity, faithfulness, kindness and wise judgement_, his mind recited (once again, his seemingly useless studies came in handy). His eyes drifted to Hyunjin’s necklace, a bright red ruby glistening underneath the night sky. _Ruby: a symbol of power, love, energy, passion, and protection, _Seungmin thought, his cheeks beginning to match the color of the ruby as its symbolism resonated through his mind. “Pardon me, but _how _did you get this? It’s not exactly something I’d expect a 13-year-old to simply _have_,” Seungmin mumbled in order to take his mind off of the meaning of the ruby. 

“None taken,” Hyunjin said with a wave of his hand. “My grandmother gave them to me on my own birthday,” he said softly, fiddling with the stone of his necklace. “She told me to treasure them and to give the matching blue necklace to someone very dear to me,” Hyunjin continued, gently scratching Kkami’s ears and avoiding Seungmin’s gaze. Seungmin simply looked at the older, his eyes widening in realization as his cheeks flared red. “You know, you and I met on that very day,” Hyunjin said with a smile, nostalgia evident in his eyes as he looked at Seungmin fondly. 

Seungmin’s eyes widened, his mouth forming a small circlefrom understanding. “If I had known, I would have gotten you something,” he mumbled, looking down from sadness and regret. 

“You didn’t even know me then,” Hyunjin said with a laugh. “Besides, you didn’t need to,” he continued, and Seungmin raised an eyebrow at him from confusion. “Meeting you was the best present I could have ever gotten,” he confessed happily, and Seungmin turned an even darker red. He was so thankful at that moment that it was nighttime, but he also wondered _how _Hyunjin could just _say _things like that. 

“Idiot,” was all Seungmin could mutter as his face burned crimson, and Hyunjin burst out laughing at the reaction, to which Seungmin watched with a large smile. Soon enough, Seungmin joined him, and the two laughed and laughed uncontrollably, with poor Kkami stuck in the middle barking happily at their joy. Their laughter finally died down after what seemed like _hours_, and they continued talking excitedly, their words ringing out into the night sky and their hearts pounding from the bond that they shared. But of course, all good things must come to an end, and Seungmin stood up from the ground with a soft smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked Hyunjin, to which the boy simply replied with a nod and a large, crescent-eyed smile. Seungmin felt his heart pull at his chest, and he waved to Hyunjin and Kkami before leaving happily, the feeling of meeting Hyunjin again tomorrow warming his soft heart.

If only he knew that _tomorrow _would never come.

. . .

_Hyunjin_

“Sorry, buddy. Maybe lily’s just a little late today?” Hyunjin reassured Kkami sadly, sitting with the dejected long-haired chihuahua in the grass as he patted his head. Hyunjin was beginning to get worried; he hadn’t seen Seungmin _all day_, even during the times Seungmin _always _came. He understood that Seungmin had a busy schedule, but the younger boy had always made it a habit to come at certain times, no matter what. So Hyunjin simply sat in the grass, waiting and waiting and waiting even more, but Seungmin never came. Hyunjin looked at his watch; it was about time for him to go back home, but he wanted to stay more until Seungmin arrived. As he looked at the night sky, it finally dawned on him that the younger wasn’t coming, and he couldn’t help but feel a little hurt that Seungmin couldn’t have let him know that he wasn’t going to come. “We should go, Kkami. It's about time that we returned home, anyway,” Hyunjin said sadly, and Kkami looked up at him with sorrowful eyes before letting out a sad whine. “I know. I wanted him to come too. But I’m positive he’ll return tomorrow,” he said hopefully, and Kkami’s ears perked up before he barked happily. 

To Hyunjin’s (and Kkami’s) disappointment, Seungmin didn’t come the next day, either. Or the day after that, or the day after that. Hyunjin kept returning everyday, morning, noon, evening, night, but not a single time did the younger come. He didn’t know when it happened, but eventually, Hyunjin had accepted that Seungmin wouldn’t come again, and he couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of worry and regret in his heart. Had he said or done something wrong? He didn’t think he had, because Seungmin had left with a happy smile. Perhaps… something had happened to him? Hyunjin shook his head indignantly; he wouldn’t dare think anything like that, because he was sure Seungmin was out there. He wanted to remember Seungmin as the dandy, sunshine-like boy who always made him smile and laugh, not as the boy who left him without any warning or apparent reason. So he picked up Kkami from the field of grass one last time and walked back home, leaning down to pick a lily before clutching it against his chest and letting a single tear fall down his cheek, a single thought resonating in his mind.

_Hyunjin would never be with Seungmin again. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmm,,, i wonder what happened to seungmin?
> 
> \- - -
> 
> here i am! back at it again!
> 
> i was in the middle of writing another fic when i thought,, hey! why not post this draft! it's been in my docs for,,, months and i felt bad for not posting,,, even though it's my favorite thing i've written smh
> 
> hopefully i can keep up with this fic and not abandon it,,,
> 
> as always, thank you for reading!


	2. where they reunited

* * *

_ 8 Years Later _

“Come _ on, _ Hyunjin, where’s your million-dollar smile? Don’t be so sulky,” Hyunjin’s best friend and fellow prince, Han Jisung of Roulia Kingdom, stated as he gave the taller a small punch on the shoulder. “Tis’ the _ season_, and the _ royal masquerade ball_, for that matter! Limitless fine wines, delectable dishes, and the best part…” Jisung exclaimed with a smirk, eyeing a certain individual from across the ballroom. “The _ finest _views,” he mumbled, his lovestruck eyes gazing at the male shamelessly. 

Hyunjin happily laughed at that, feeling his mood lighten just the slightest bit as he watched his best friend struggle to tear his eyes away from the beautiful human being. “Goodness, Jisung, you’ve been staring at him since we arrived,” Hyunjin said with a smile. “You should ask him to dance,” he encouraged, chuckling as the younger began to blush crimson underneath his golden, jewel-encrusted mask and shake his head indignantly. “Why not?” Hyunjin began to say with a smirk, “Is the confident, suave _ Han Jisung _getting nervous?” He teased, and Jisung glared at him. 

“Absolutely not,” Jisung mumbled. “In fact, just to prove you wrong, I’ll ask him to be my partner for the first dance right now,” he said boldly to Hyunjin, taking a deep breath as he eyed the male. Hyunjin looked at him with a raised eyebrow, watching the younger clench his fists in determination as he began to take a few tentative steps in his direction. “Watch and learn,” Jisung said somewhat confidently before quickly walking towards the gorgeous male. 

Hyunjin watched with amusement as Jisung began to slow down as he approached his potential dance partner, his face an embarrassed red as he stuttered out something inaudible to the other and tapped his shoulder to get his attention. Hyunjin couldn’t help but laugh when the other turned around, blinked and stared at Jisung for a moment before he smiled, causing Jisung to become a fidgeting mess as they talked. He only laughed harder when the other flashed a wink at Jisung before nodding, and Jisung blushed again before saying something and turning away to return back faster than a person could blink. 

Hyunjin was in a laughing fit when Jisung came back, his face flushed and his hands shaking as he glared at Hyunjin. “Don’t you dare say a word, Hwang Hyunjin,” he said as he covered his face with his hands from embarrassment. Hyunjin only howled with laughter, placing a hand on Jisung’s shoulder to steady himself as he shook from the sheer humor of the entire situation. “Hush,” Jisung whined as he pulled Hyunjin’s hand off of himself. “He was just too good-looking,” he mumbled, only causing Hyunjin to laugh even harder and make the people around them begin to stare. “I mean, can _ you _ imagine asking _ Lee Minho_, one of the most sought-out bachelors in the entire _ continent _to dance? It’s absolutely terrifying,” he said, puffing up his cheeks and blowing out softly to calm his nerves. Hyunjin began to open his mouth before Jisung held up a hand at him. “Actually, don’t answer that. I almost forgot you’re _ also _one of them, though I honestly don’t quite see the appeal,” Jisung said, scrunching up his nose in disgust before Hyunjin whacked his shoulder softly and laughed. “What? You know it’s true,” he stated matter-of-factly, to which Hyunjin simply rolled his eyes. 

“I wish it wasn’t,” Hyunjin said with a sigh. “It seems as though they only like me for my looks,” he muttered, playing with the ruby of his necklace. “But it doesn’t matter, really, since I’m not interested in any of them,” he declared nonchalantly, to which Jisung’s eyes widened. 

“Oh, _ really _ ? You’re telling me that _ the _ Hwang Hyunjin has not found a _ single _ potential love interest in this crowd? That’s absolute nonsense,” Jisung exclaimed, shaking his finger. “You, my _ dear _fellow prince, are going to find someone today, and that’s that,” he said boldly, to which Hyunjin could only laugh and pat his friend on the back. “I’ll make sure of it.” 

“Okay, my _ dear _ Jisung, I’ll play along,” Hyunjin said with a humorous smile, knowing he had no intent to do so at all. “How about this: if I _ do _ find someone, which I’m positive I won’t, I will do _ one _thing that you ask of me. But if I don’t, then you must do the same for me,” he continued with a chuckle, watching the squirrel-like boy’s eyes widen before gleaming mischievously. 

“You’ve got yourself a deal. I’m warning you, I’ve got quite a good feeling that I’ll win,” he said with a smirk, and Hyunjin rolled his eyes humorously as he watched his friend take a few steps back. “_Au revoir, mon ami_. Enjoy finding the love of your life!” Jisung said amusedly before prancing off towards Minho, and Hyunjin could only laugh at the sheer impossibility of the entire situation. 

“Goodness’ sake,” Hyunjin muttered, letting out a small sigh as he watched Jisung and Minho, the two very obviously attracted to each other (they had been for a while now, and Hyunjin was almost tired of seeing the two gaze at each other so aweingly). Minho had taken Jisung’s gloved hand and kissed it before holding it with his own, making the younger blush crimson as he led him to the ballroom dance floor. It was sickeningly sweet, and also reminded Hyunjin that he needed to find his _ own _partner before the music began to play. 

He ended up on the floor with a girl that was looking at him a bit _ too _fondly for his liking, but he wouldn’t dare saying no when she had asked him simply due to the fact that he didn’t want to seem disrespectful. So he put on his princely smile and bowed politely as Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Waltz No. 2” began to play, waiting for her to curtsy patiently before placing his hand on her upper back and leading her gently in a well-rehearsed waltz. He danced almost robotically, his smile starting to feel a little strained as he switched between partners smoothly. This process repeated multiple times, and time and time again, Hyunjin Hyunjin felt suffocated as he made small talk with each of his dance partners to pass the time. He eagerly awaited for the song to be over with every switch, the only source of happiness he had being that fact that he was sure he would win his bet with Jisung. 

He let out a small sigh of relief as he heard the song near its closing, and he very enthusiastically switched to his last partner, opening his mouth to robotically mutter his last greeting when his breath caught in his throat. His eyes met with deep, chocolate brown ones peeking out of a white lace and diamond-embellished mask, sharp features and pretty lips endowing the stranger’s half-uncovered face. In short, the other was _ beautiful_, and Hyunjin had never felt his heart pound so fast as he placed his hand on the back of the male and led them in the waltz. His gaze lingered on the eyes of the other, feeling somewhat intrigued at the dull, uninterested look he had, unlike the many partners he’d had previously. There was something, _ something _ about this person that Hyunjin found so _ familiar _ and so _ endearing _at the same time, but he couldn’t place the reason behind it. 

He finally snapped out of his curious, awe-struck haze in order to engage in conversation with the pretty male. “And who might you be, may I ask?” Hyunjin asked, his lips curling into a smile that he felt was the most genuine he’d had throughout the dance.

“None of whom should concern you,” the other replied smoothly as Hyunjin lifted his arm to twirl him around, the latter’s eyes widening at the response before he let out an amused laugh that rang throughout the ballroom. He liked this person already, and something pulled at his heart to get to know him better. 

“So you’re pretty _ and _ hilarious,” Hyunjin said with a smile, still chuckling at the response of the other as they danced slowly. The shorter’s previously emotionless face turned a dark crimson, only causing Hyunjin to laugh harder from endearment. “I must say, within a few seconds, you’ve already become the most interesting person I’ve met all night,” Hyunjin declared truthfully, and the other’s pretty lips turned upward in a soft, small smile before it disappeared again. 

“I can only imagine what the people you’ve encountered are like if _ I’m _the most interesting of them all,” the other replied with a raised eyebrow and a small laugh as Hyunjin twirled him around again. “I’m generally referred to as uninteresting and tiresome to be around,” the shorter muttered with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Really? How absurd,” Hyunjin said in disbelief. “I suppose anyone with an actual personality and intelligence is considered uninteresting and tiresome to be around these days,” he said with a sigh, his eyes growing wide when the male in his arms stared at him for a second before he burst into amused laughter. Hyunjin felt his heartbeat quicken at the sound of the bell-like laughter of the other, and he smiled largely. “Cute,” Hyunjin breathed out, and the other stopped laughing almost abruptly, his cheeks flaming red from the compliment. 

“Absolutely not,” the other said immediately, but Hyunjin couldn’t help but disagree when the shorter smiled at him angelically. The shorter’s eyes were shining with amusement now, and Hyunjin could’ve sworn he had galaxies in his eyes when the music began to draw to a close. Hyunjin had never felt so attracted to someone, never felt so intrigued by the sheer presence and breathtaking _ beauty _of another human. He almost felt sad when the music ended and they bowed towards each other, wanting to spend more time with the other person. “Thank you for dancing with me,” the shorter muttered in a single breath, a smile endowing his pretty face. 

“It was my pleasure,” Hyunjin replied, to which the other nodded shyly in thanks. “May I at least have the honor of knowing your name?” He asked with a surge of courage, looking at the other male with hope and curiosity. 

“Kim Seungmin, Royal Prince of Magnolia Kingdom. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” the shorter said with a smile, and Hyunjin could’ve sworn his heart stopped at that moment. He felt his life flash before his eyes, the memories of his thirteenth birthday and nights with Seungmin and Kkami flipping through his mind in rapid succession. He almost couldn’t believe his eyes; the boy he thought had left him forever without any explanation was standing _ here_, right before his eyes, looking as beautiful as ever and making his heart pound faster than it ever had. He almost didn’t know what to feel; should he be happy, disappointed, curious? Or a mixture of all three? He couldn’t decide, and settled for saying the one thing that kept resonating in his mind.

“_Lily_?” 

. . .

_ Seungmin _

“_L__ily?” _

Seungmin stopped and stared at the tall, gorgeous male in front of him, his mind not comprehending what he had just heard. “Excuse me, what?” He sputtered out, looking at the piercing, curious gaze of the other. His ears must’ve been failing him, or the taller had simply said it out of sheer coincidence. Seungmin refused to believe that this was _ Hwang Hyunjin_, his best friend and only companion when he was a child. It had been too long, too heart-wrenching for him to deal with, and Seungmin had only just gotten over their separation last _ year_. But now, everything came flooding back like a tsunami, and he felt a whirlwind of emotions he didn’t know how to deal with.

“It’s me, Hyunjin,” the taller whispered, and Seungmin’s breath caught in his throat as Hyunjin wrapped his arms around Seungmin’s waist and leaned into his neck, evidently not caring about the stares they were receiving. “Goodness, it’s been too long,” Hyunjin mumbled into his neck, and Seungmin awkwardly patted his back, not quite knowing what to do and feeling somewhat embarrassed at their embrace. He gently placed his hands on Hyunjin’s shoulders and pushed him away, feeling his cheeks heat up as it dawned on him that this otherworldly beauty was the boy he was once so close to. 

“It really has,” Seungmin whispered as he bit his lip nervously. He had so much to say, yet nothing to say at all as he looked at Hyunjin, who was so much the _ same _ yet so _ different _ at the same time. He’d dyed his hair a golden, honey brown, his features were soft, yet sharp and defined, and he had jelly-like lips that accentuated his already handsome face. Yet, somehow, he still was the same Hwang Hyunjin that Seungmin had met at twelve years old, and the younger almost couldn’t believe that he hadn’t recognized him earlier. “You look… quite different,” Seungmin said lamely, not knowing what else to say as he marveled at the sheer _ beauty _that was Hwang Hyunjin. “A good different, of course,” he quickly added when he noticed that Hyunjin’s gaze drooped sadly, and the older’s eyes brightened immediately at the compliment. 

“As do you. Truthfully, I couldn’t recognize you, lily. Where did your cute, chubby cheeks go?” Hyunjin said with a pout as his gloved hands moved upward to cup Seungmin’s cheeks gently. Seungmin felt his face heat up, and he hurriedly swatted Hyunjin’s hands away because of his embarrassment and surprise from the sudden contact. Hyunjin immediately pulled his hands back and blushed. “Oh, I’m sorry-” he quickly apologized, running a hand through his hair nervously. 

“No, no, it’s quite alright. You just startled me, is all,” Seungmin said softly. “I’m… not used to much physical contact. Other than in formal dance, that is,” he elaborated slowly, the past eight years of his life running through his mind as he let out a sigh. “Something similar happened when we first met, didn’t it?” He suddenly remembered in an attempt to change the topic, recalling how he’d gotten shocked by Hyunjin placing a lily in his ear and had stepped away from him quickly. 

Hyunjin’s jelly lips curled upward, revealing his pearly white teeth as he smiled happily in recognition of the memory. “It did! I picked a lily and placed it on your ear, and if I remember correctly, I said…” He stopped, his cheeks flaming red as he covered his face. Seungmin felt his own face heat up again, knowing exactly what Hyunjin was remembering, and he covered his face with a single gloved hand to hide his blush. “Now that I recall the memory, I was strangely straightforward,” Hyunjin said with embarrassment, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. 

Seungmin couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh. “I thought it was cute,” he said amusedly after he finally stopped laughing, observing happily as Hyunjin only blushed more from the compliment. “You haven’t changed at all, Hyunjin,” Seungmin said softly after a little consideration, giving Hyunjin an innocent smile. It made the younger male feel a tad bit nostalgic, seeing that Hyunjin was just the same as before, and suddenly Seungmin felt a longing to go back to their fun times together. 

“I do hope that is a good thing,” Hyunjin said with a laugh, running a hand through his hair and lightly biting his lower lip. He only laughed more when he saw that Seungmin’s face turned just a shade more crimson from Hyunjin’s misunderstanding. 

“Of course it is! It’s… refreshing, if I do say so myself,” Seungmin said with a small pout. “Really, it would do you good to have some faith in me, Hyunjin. How dare you even _ suggest _ that I would ever think of you negatively?” He whined, feeling offended that Hyunjin could even consider such a thing, and he could only feel his face heat up when the taller male only laughed more at his words. 

“My apologies, good sir. I wouldn’t dare to suggest it,” Hyunjin said, dramatically holding a hand over his heart (Seungmin remembered that Hyunjin always had a flair for the dramatic). “It would be absolutely irresponsible of me to think that a man as good-hearted and angelic as yourself would ever think of me negatively,” he added smoothly, and Seungmin was sure his face was on fire at the compliments. His heart was strangely starting to pound erratically, but Seungmin wouldn’t dare think of the reason why as he looked at Hyunjin. 

“I’ve changed my mind. You _ are _ very different; you’re much more despicable and have a horrible tendency to flirt,” he said, his face burning with every word that he said to Hyunjin. Of course, he didn’t _ really _mean any of what he said; he very much liked Hyunjin, but he was simply not used to receiving so much affection (from someone so attractive, he might add) and didn’t quite know how to handle it in any way other than superficial insults. Hyunjin, however, seemed to know him too well (despite the amount of time they’d been apart) and only smirked at Seungmin’s words. 

“Well, I’m positively exhilarated that you think so fondly of me,” Hyunjin retorted, resulting in a roll of Seungmin’s eyes. Yet he couldn’t help but let out a light laugh; he had missed their friendship, missed laughing and joking around with Hyunjin, missed _ him. _ Seungmin did, however, found it quite strange that he felt just as he had with Hyunjin as he did when they were younger. He had always thought about the possibility of them meeting again, but he had always assumed that they would be awkward or even unfamiliar with one another. His heart felt warm from the fact that their bond was just as it had been before. 

Seungmin looked curiously at Hyunjin when the taller male’s gaze suddenly went solemn, as if he had something to ask. Seungmin watched as Hyunjin opened his mouth to speak. “All those years ago,” he began to say, and Seungmin’s eyebrows raised at the statement. “Why did you stop c-” 

“_Seungmin! _ There you are,” a huff came from behind the pair, and Seungmin whirled around to see his closest friend, Duke of Magnolia Lee Felix, throw his arms around Seungmin’s neck and press a kiss to his cheek. Seungmin blushed at the action from embarrassment, gently pushing Felix off before glaring at his friend. “Aw, don’t look at me like that, love. I need your assistance,” he said, almost a bit whinily. “And you _ know _ I don’t take no as an answer,” he continued, pulling Seungmin by the arm and dragging him along with him. Seungmin exhaled, groaning at how touchy-feely Felix was regardless of how _ often _ Seungmin told him he would rather he _ not _do such a thing.

Regardless, he looked back at Hyunjin as he was being dragged away, his eyes going wide when he saw Hyunjin’s mouth pulled into a tight-lipped smile as he waved at Seungmin, and Seungmin could only mouth an apology before letting himself be pulled away by Felix. 

. . .

_ Hyunjin _

“Well, I’m positively exhilarated that you think so fondly of me,” Hyunjin said, resulting in a roll of Seungmin’s eyes. He couldn’t help but tease his friend a little; he felt completely comfortable in Seungmin’s presence, and he felt relieved that he and Seungmin were able to communicate just as they had when they were younger. 

However, his mind was still riddled with questions. What had made Seungmin disappear so long ago? How come Seungmin seemed much more solemn now than when they met? Why was Seungmin so hypersensitive to his touch? Hyunjin knew it was too much to ask in one meeting, especially while standing within the presence of dozens of other people. But he couldn’t restrain his curiosity, so he opened his mouth to speak. “All those years ago,” he began to say, and Seungmin raised his eyebrows at him as if he knew what Hyunjin was going to say. “Why did you stop c-”

“_Seungmin! _ There you are,” a huff came from behind the pair, and Seungmin turned around, only to have pink lips pressed against his cheek and and arms thrown around his neck. Seungmin, however, blushed profusely at the action, and gently pushed off his friend before glaring at him. “Aw, don't look at me like that, love. I need your assistance,” he said, almost a bit whinily. “And you know I don’t take no as an answer,” he continued, pulling Seungmin by the arm. To Hyunjin’s surprise, Seungmin did not resist at all. 

Hyunjin’s eyebrow raised at that; hadn’t Seungmin said that he wasn’t used to much physical contact? And what was their overly close relationship about? Hyunjin felt a slight pang in his heart due to the fact that there was now someone _ closer _ to Seungmin than he ever was, someone who Seungmin felt comfortable enough with to let touch him and even _ kiss _him. Hyunjin was never one to judge, but he had to admit he had his suspicions regarding the status of Seungmin and his freckled, orange-haired friend’s relationship. For some reason, however, this thought did not sit well with him, and he could only spare Seungmin a tight-lipped smile and a wave when the younger was pulled away, an apology ghosting his lips. 

But Hyunjin didn’t let that bother him, because who was he to feel that way? He and Seungmin had been apart for so long; they weren’t _ close _anymore. The both of them had grown older, moved on, and forgotten the past, and this experience was not going to change that, Hyunjin thought, a sigh escaping his lips before turning away and looking around the room for a certain squirrel-like boy. But he didn’t need to look far, because he was surprised by a shrill shriek behind him, making Hyunjin jump from shock. 

“Oh, that was absolutely _ priceless_,” an all-too-familiar voice said, and Hyunjin whirled around to glare at Jisung, who was smiling happily. Hyunjin couldn’t help but roll his eyes; he suddenly remembered why he used to _ hate _ Jisung with a burning passion. “Oh, cheer up. Don’t look so grumpy, especially when I have brought good news! I have arrived to announce that I have succeeded in convincing none other than _ Lee Minho _to court me,” he said proudly, making Hyunjin’s eyes widen. 

“In _ one _ meeting? Han Jisung, the man that you are positively _ astounds _me,” he said with a sigh. 

“That is only if you believe it was only one meeting, good sir,” Jisung said with a wink, his cheeks turning a slightly scarlet pink when Hyunjin’s eyes widened at the revelation. “Though that is enough about me. I am curious to know whether or not you found someone that catches your interest, _ mon ami_.” Hyunjin let out a sigh at that, turning his gaze behind him to land on Seungmin, who was engaged in what seemed to be a deep conversation with the freckled boy.

“No, not quite.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic is a pile of angst and i am SO sorry dkjsfhskjdjfj the happiness will come soon i promise
> 
> ALSO SEUNGMIN'S DOUBLE KNOT TEASER PHOTOS CAME OUT TODAY SKJFSHKFSHKFS HE LOOKS SOGOODHJKJS


	3. where they became friends (again)

Hyunjin had finally returned to his quarters, not quite paying attention to his surroundings as he fingered the red necklace he was wearing. He had not removed it since that day, and had originally never had the intention to ever take it off. Yet his hands went to the back of his neck, and he let out a short breath before unfastening the clasp. He held it in front of himself, looking at how the beautiful ruby somehow managed to shine in the dim light. He shook his head, putting it down on his dresser. 

A jolt ran up his back when he heard a sharp knock at the door. “Come in,” he said, regaining his composure before turning towards the door. He watched as his designated attendant peaked her head through the door, saying something about getting Hyunjin changed and ready for bed. “Ah, that will not be necessary today. I… would prefer to be alone, if you don’t mind,” he said apologetically, receiving an earnest nod and a small mutter of understanding before the attendant closed the door. He let out a sigh; he really had underestimated how much meeting Seungmin would affect him. 

He found it quite silly that he was thinking so much about it; he was sure Seungmin was not feeling the same. He had to remind himself that him and Seungmin were simply _ not _ close anymore, that they had moved on and now had lives of their own. They were not children, easily able to frolic about and laugh together without a care in the world; they were _ princes_, for heaven’s sake, with duties and responsibilities to carry out. 

Perhaps _ this _ was the effect of having a singular friend and no love interests throughout the years, he thought with a tight-lipped grin, being hung up on a past relationship that was now no more and held no gravity in Seungmin’s eyes. Or, perhaps, Hyunjin had simply been waiting for their reunion, in hopes of having something… _ more_, but now that possibility seemed far-fetched. Regardless, Hyunjin would not allow himself to be caught up in old memories, he decided, and would actively begin to forge new relationships rather than thinking about previous ones. 

The task, however, proved to be far more difficult than he had expected. 

As he attended more royal balls, he was reminded of the reason _ why _ he had chosen not to court anyone initially. He was constantly being bombarded with males and females who fawned over him without ever truly wanting to know him, and who really only wanted to court him for his looks. Hyunjin had always thought of himself as _ more _ than his looks, but was that so hard for so many people to understand?

“It is, _ mon ami_. For some reason, people seem to forget that attractive individuals, such as yourself and I, have wonderfully intriguing personalities, as well,” Jisung expressed with a dramatic hand over his heart. The two had yet again met in another ball, and Hyunjin was honestly relieved to have Jisung beside him. “Though that is their loss,” he said with a shrug, turning his head to look at Hyunjin. “But, I do say, if you find someone who loves you for who _ you _are, cling to them as the mosquito clings to the human’s skin,” he continued, and Hyunjin could only grimace at the analogy as Jisung roared with laughter. 

“Speaking of clinging,” Hyunjin began to say, “how is courting going? I’ve heard Minho is quite the charmer,” he said with a smirk, enjoying the crimson blush that spread over Jisung’s round cheeks. “Though he _ must _ be, to be interested in _ you_,” Hyunjin joked, earning a slight whack on the arm. 

“He’s _ delightful_. We get along so well,” Jisung said dreamily, his eyes staring off into space as if he was suddenly put under a trance. “I feel like… I have met my soulmate,” he added for emphasis, as if it was not obvious enough that he was positively enamored with Minho already. “I honestly hope you find someone of the same caliber,” he said suddenly, looking at Hyunjin with a glint in his eye. “Like… that beauty you met before, no?”

“Beauty? Ah, you mean Seungmin,” Hyunjin said without much thought, placing a finger on his chin in thought. 

“Well, _ I _ did not say _ which _ beauty. But you seem to have someone in mind,” Jisung said with a shrug, making Hyunjin blush crimson from realization that Jisung had simply baited him. “That is the first you have shown interest in anyone, _ mon cher_,” he said matter-of-factly with an expression of interest. “So… who is this _ Seungmin _ you speak of?”

“He… is someone I met a long, long time ago,” was all he said, biting his lower lip. “An old friend, if you will,” he added nonchalantly, hoping that Jisung did not ask anything further. But Jisung, being the person he was, was intent on doing that _ exact _thing. 

“An old friend? Before we met, I presume?” He asked, and Hyunjin simply nodded in response. “I am _ hurt_, Hyunjin. How come I have never heard of him, then? Keeping him all to yourself? Possessive one, aren’t you?” He said with a sigh, making Hyunjin blush even more and shake his head incessantly. “He must be quite the character.”

“He is,” Hyunjin said softly, immediately catching himself before straightening. “But we are not close anymore. He has moved on.”

“And you have not?” Jisung pointed out, raising an eyebrow at Hyunjin. 

“No, I suppose I haven’t,” he said with a sigh after a few moments of silence. “I… miss him, more than _ anything_,” he said, feeling something rise up in his throat. A cry, perhaps? Whatever it was, Hyunjin simply forced it back down, breathing out shakily. “It’s… silly, right? Missing someone you haven’t had a proper conversation with in _ years _?”

“No, I do not think so. I believe that only makes you miss them _ more_,” Jisung said with a shrug. Hyunjin looked at him with raised eyebrows, opening his mouth to reply when his eyes widened like saucers. 

“Quick, stand in front of me,” he whispered, grabbing Jisung’s shoulders and positioning the boy right in front of him. “And do not, and I repeat, _ do not_, turn around,” he added, bending his head lower. Hyunjin let out an exasperated groan when Jisung did _ exactly that_, whirling around to see what Hyunjin had suddenly grown so conscious of. His eyes landed on a brown-haired, round-cheeked boy who was currently engaged in conversation with a freckled individual, and he turned back towards Hyunjin to raise an eyebrow at him. 

“That is Seungmin, I presume?” Jisung teased, poking Hyunjin’s shoulder while beginning to snicker. “He is a cute one, _ mon ami_. I say you should, as you say, _ go for it_,” Jisung motivated, but Hyunjin simply hid behind him even more. “And, if I remember correctly, that pretty young man was at the last ball and talking to _ you _ , so you _ did _meet someone of interest. And do you know what that means? You must do one thing for me, as per our agreement,” Jisung said with a smirk, making Hyunjin’s eyes go wide from disbelief as he began to shake his head incessantly. “And I… am ordering you to go speak to him,” Jisung said matter-of-factly, grabbing Hyunjin’s shoulders and pulling him in Seungmin’s direction. 

“No, wait, I _ cannot- _” 

“Do not lie to me. I have seen you interact calmly with thousands of men and women, and this is no different,” he said, even though Hyunjin knew that Jisung knew that this was _ completely _different than normal. “Besides, I have a man to spend time with, so you must hurry along,” Jisung said dismissively, pushing Hyunjin in Seungmin’s direction. Hyunjin was about to whine in protest when Jisung pointed at Seungmin, who was looking at the both of them curiously. Hyunjin felt his cheeks burn up, and he was about to reprimand Jisung when he noticed that the squirrel-like male had vanished into thin air. 

Hyunjin stood awkwardly, fiddling with his ring as he took a deep breath before looking at Seungmin. His freckled friend seemed to have gone somewhere, and now Seungmin was left standing alone, staring at him as if waiting for him to initiate a conversation, so he did. He took a deep breath, walking up towards Seungmin and holding his hand out. “Pleasure to see you again,” he said stiffly, his cheeks heating up like an oven before he retracted his hand in realization. “Ah, right, I forgot you… don’t engage in much physical contact,” he muttered, not quite able to control the slight bit of venom that laced his words.

“Thank you for remembering,” Seungmin said, blowing out the air from his cheeks before looking at Hyunjin with shining eyes. “But… I think I’m alright if it’s you,” he said softly, taking Hyunjin’s hand in his own and making the older’s heart _ soar _. “Last time, I was… not quite prepared for it, but I am sure that I am now,” he said pointedly, rubbing his thumb over Hyunjin’s gently. “If… you don’t mind, that is?” He said a little worriedly, biting his lower lip. “Though, if you don’t mind, we may need to start off slowly, because this is still quite new to me. But I would not want to be a burden-”

“Absolutely not!” Hyunjin said immediately, his cheeks flushing. “I would be glad to engage in any sort of physical contact with you,” he said without giving his statement much thought, before he noticed the deep blush that had blossomed on Seungmin’s cheeks. Hyunjin was confused, because why would he…? His eyes finally widened in realization. “Not… not anything inappropriate! That is not what I meant,” he said, clearing his throat before straightening and scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “That took a bit of a wrong turn,” he mumbled, blushing even more when Seungmin let out a heart laugh.

“I understood what you meant,” Seungmin said between chuckles, blushing profusely. “But never mind that, who was that friend of yours?” He asked carefully, looking at Hyunjin with curious eyes. “Ah, that is, if he is your friend, for that matter. I can understand if he is something less, or… something more than that,” he continued hesitantly, biting his lower lip. Hyunjin simply stared at him, not quite comprehending what Seungmin meant until it finally clicked in his mind.

“_No, _God no. Jisung is just a close friend that I’ve known for quite a long time, though I myself do not understand how I put up with him,” he said with a hint of faux disgust in his tone. “And what about you? Who was the freckled boy you were with?” Hyunjin asked, seeing the opportunity in the question. “You both seemed… close,” he said with a slight grimace. “Have you been courting for a long time now?” 

“C—what? Felix and I? _ Courting_? What gave you that absurd idea?” Seungmin said with a laugh, as if the possibility in itself was preposterous. “He is just a close friend, like Jisung is to you,” he said simply, still laughing at the proposition. 

“But he _ kissed _you. And you seem comfortable with him touching you,” Hyunjin spluttered, glancing between him and the freckled boy (Felix, Hyunjin had to remember), who was occupied talking to a shorter, muscular man nearby. 

“He’s the overly affectionate type, and I _ do _ tell him to moderate his physical affection, but he never listens,” Seungmin said with a sigh, and Hyunjin couldn’t help but feel like the world’s weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. “Quite honestly, you are the first person I’ve given explicit permission to touch me, as strange as that sounds,” Seungmin admitted, looking down at the glass in his hand. “You know, considering how long it has been since… _ back then_,” he mumbled, placing the glass in the tray of an attendant before looking back at Hyunjin. 

“I miss it,” Hyunjin blurted out, his eyes going slightly wide at his sudden revelation. “Well, you know, I miss… meeting everyday, I miss laughing and joking around, I miss…” _ You, _he so desperately wanted to say, but he bit his tongue. “Everything,” he opted to say, knowing just how vague the word was but not really caring. 

“I do too,” Seungmin said softly, and Hyunjin noted the slight hint of sadness in his voice. “I want to go back to that. Back to just the two of us,” he said, biting his lip and crossing his arms. 

“We can,” Hyunjin said, and Seungmin looked at him with wide eyes. “Maybe not in the same way as before, but… we’re both here _ now _, right? So, if you are okay with it… we can start anew. We can build again what we lost,” he said with conviction. “Not that we lost it, though. It was more like… we were on a friendship hiatus,” he added after thinking for a moment, and he looked at Seungmin hopefully. “If… if you’re okay with it?” 

“Yes, _ goodness, _yes,” Seungmin said ecstatically, his eyes glittering like stars when he looked at Hyunjin. “I mean yes, yes I would,” he clarified, clearing his throat and blushing prettily. 

“Great! Yes, well… I look forward to it,” he said, a silence falling between them when Hyunjin noticed he was still holding Seungmin’s hand. He pulled his hand back, a blush spreading on his face as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. His heart was beating extremely quickly for reasons Hyunjin did not want to think about. “Right, so… I hope you can tolerate me, because I don’t plan on leaving your side any time soon,” he said seriously, making Seungmin laugh and shake his head. "In the words of my dear friend Han Jisung, I shall cling to you 'as the mosquito clings to the human skin.'"

“Oh no, what _ will _ I do? Having _ the _ Hwang Hyunjin staying by my side? The _ horror_,” he replied sarcastically, making Hyunjin burst into a fit of laughter. In his fit of laughter, Hyunjin did not notice the way Seungmin’s face softened, a smile endowing his face. “But really, though…” He mumbled, a blush creeping up on his cheeks before speaking again. 

“You don’t need to worry about that, because I’m never letting you go again.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was highkey short and i am sO sorry bcs im currently taking exams and doing a lot of work but!!! hopefully soon i can write more!! 
> 
> as always, thank you so much for reading!


	4. where they got away

“Should we get out of here?” Hyunjin once asked boredly, looking around the ballroom and letting out a sigh. 

“I hope that does not imply what I think you are implying, Hwang Hyunjin,” Seungmin said stiffly, the color immediately draining from his face as Hyunjin began to shake his head indignantly. “Though, knowing you and your terribly flirtatious personality, it could very well mean that,” he added with a wrinkle of his nose as if he had just smelled a terrible stench.

“No! No, of course not. You make me out to be a terrible person, Seungmin,” Hyunjin said with a sigh, looking around the room one more time. “For your information, I have rescinded my flirtatious tendencies after reconciling with you. You are the _ only _one for me,” he said dramatically, resulting in a subtle whack of the shoulder from Seungmin. 

“Utter hypocrisy,” Seungmin mumbled from under his breath, crossing his arms before looking at Hyunjin with a raised eyebrow. “It isn’t proper for us to simply _ leave_, though. Basic etiquette requires us to stay until the ball is over, and subsequently leave promptly back to our kingdoms. None of this… _ getting out of here_, as you said,” he stated, making Hyunjin sigh and place his hands on Seungmin’s shoulders. 

“Yes, of course, but… do you _ really _ want to be here? In this stuffy ballroom, with haughty princesses and even more haughty princes? I wouldn’t quite call this my cup of tea, and I’m sure it isn’t yours, either,” he pointed out, seeing something akin to concession flash in Seungmin’s eyes. “Come on, _ one _day of breaking proper etiquette won’t do any harm.” 

Seungmin fell silent, looking around hesitantly before leaning in towards Hyunjin’s ear. “Are you _ completely _sure we won’t get caught?” He whispered, leaning back as his brown eyes darted around the room as if to make sure no one had heard of their dastardly plans. 

“Absolutely. We’ll be out and back before you know it. This _ is _Jisung’s castle, anyway, and I know this place like the back of my hand. And…” Hyunjin lowered his voice before leaning next to Seungmin’s ear. “I wanted us to have time to ourselves,” he whispered excitedly but making Seungmin shudder ever so slightly before he pulled away with the most innocent smile. “So, how about it?” 

“... Alright. But if I think there’s any possibility of us getting caught, I am coming straight back. Do you understand?” Seungmin replied with an impossibly red face, crossing his arms and furrowing his eyebrows together. He couldn't help but mentally reprimand himself, because he was positive that if it wasn’t _ Hyunjin _who was asking, he would never have given in.

“Of course, my dear prince. Now let’s go!” Hyunjin said, smirking immediately afterwards, and Seungmin began to regret agreeing to his plan. He only regretted it more when Hyunjin grabbed his hand and began to drag him out of the ballroom and down an array of hallways. “In here,” he whispered, pressing a loose cement block in the wall and revealing a dark tunnel. Seungmin had to blink twice to comprehend just what had happened, not really having the time to when Hyunjin pulled him into the tunnel, allowing them both to be swallowed in darkness. 

“I already regret my actions,” Seungmin muttered to himself as they squeezed through the hallway, finally approaching a silver gate that led to what seemed to be a garden. The experience brought back memories of Seungmin’s _ own _endeavors as a child, but he willed the thought away, not wanting to think about what had happened afterward. 

“Finally, fresh air,” Hyunjin said, letting go of Seungmin’s hand and twirling around, stopping to face Seungmin with a smile as bright as the moon in the night sky. “Admit it; being here is _ much _ better than being inside that stuffy room, is it not?” Seungmin simply crossed his arms and turned his head in response, not wanting to admit that the other male was right but knowing fully well that he was. “I’ll take that response as a yes,” he added, and Seungmin could practically _ feel _the smirk that was likely adorning Hyunjin’s face.

A comfortable silence fell between them as they walked through the garden, with Seungmin stopping to occasionally admire the flowers. It was when they reached a particular flower that Seungmjn couldn’t help but stare, his gaze only being broken when a gloved hand picked it straight from the stem. “You can't possibly just pick a flower like that!”

“I just did,” Hyunjin retorted shamelessly, resulting in a sigh from Seungmin, who was about to reprimand him when he felt the stem being tucked behind his ear. “And I’m sure they won't miss _ one _lily, especially when they’ve got another one right here,” he mumbled, pressing the tip of his index finger to Seungmin’s chest gently. Seungmin felt his breath hitch at the contact, feeling the urge to step back but holding himself diligently when he finally came to understand just what Hyunjin meant. 

“Stop that,” Seungmin could only stutter out in response, swatting Hyunjin’s hand away and gently touching the flower on his ear. “Despicable. Utterly despicable. I’m not someone to be so unashamedly flirted with, you know. Reserve such tactics for your future spouse,” he said with a huff, yet still left the flower behind his ear. 

“Ah, yes, marriage. The confines of which I shall never see the light,” Hyunjin commented, crossing his arms and sighing. “In all these nights of balls and dancing and flirting I have yet to see even a _ single _person who catches my interest. Besides you, that is,” he said so smoothly that Seungmin had to resist the urge to smack him rightly across the arm. “Mother says I should get married as soon as possible,” he added with a humorless laugh.”I don’t quite mind it, but… I have yet to find the right person.”

“Han Jisung seems to get along with you quite well,” Seungmin couldn’t help but tease, causing Hyunjin's face to distort with disgust. 

“Absolutely not. I would rather marry _ anyone _else,” he replied with disgust before running a hand through his hair and sighing. Seungmin bit his lip, fighting the urge to reach his hands out and fix Hyunjin’s messy hair when the older male asked him something that made him halt in his tracks. “What about you? Have anyone interesting in mind?”

“Not particularly, no,” Seungmin admitted with a sigh, fingering the flower that laid against his ear. “At a certain point in time, I was smitten with Felix,” he found himself saying, not acknowledging the drop in Hyunjin’s smile. “But he… already has someone he is interested in. After acknowledging that fact, my feelings gradually dissipated and… here I am,” he added tiredly, shrugging slightly. He carefully chose to leave out the detail that being in Hyunjin’s presence sparked something akin to those _feelings _all over again. That was a fact better saved for another time, Seungmin thought to himself with rosy cheeks.

“It’s strange. At one point, we were carelessly laughing about the most trivial things, and now here we are. Princes of kingdoms discussing _ marriage_, of all things,” Hyunjin piped up suddenly with a humorless laugh. “I wish we could go back to what we were. I wish… we had never been apart,” he said, choosing his words carefully and watching Seungmin’s reaction. 

Seungmin immediately felt himself clam up at the statement, and he simply nodded curtly in agreement. “Right. But all that matters is that we’re here now, aren't we?” He asked dryly, letting out a short laugh. 

“Seungmin…” Hyunjin said slowly, sending a shiver down Seungmin’s back because Hyunjin rarely called him directly by his name. Seungmin bit his lip when Hyunjin raised a hand to his face and cupped his cheek gently, running his thumb back and forth across the soft skin. Hyunjin sounded like he wanted to say something, wanted to _ ask _ something, wanted to _ do _ something and that thought scared Seungmin to no end. “Please,” was all he said, and Seungmin couldn’t understand what _ please _ meant. Please tell me? Please listen to me? Please do something? Please let _ me _do something? The possible meanings were limitless.

Seungmin was about to ask just what he meant when he heard the ruffling of bushes behind him, and his eyes widened immensely. “Not again,” Seungmin whispered to no one in particular, his breathing becoming heavy as he hugged his body with his arms to steady himself. “We’re going to get caught,” he muttered with fear, his eyes shining with unshed tears. 

“No, we will not. Only a few people know of this place,” Hyunjin reassured, moving his hands from Seungmin’s cheeks to his hands in order to squeeze them comfortingly. “Stay here, alright? I’ll go see what it is,” he mumbled, letting go of him, and Seungmin immediately became shaky from the loss of Hyunjin’s touch. He watched as Hyunjin lurked around the garden, eventually disappearing from sight and making Seungmin even more restless. He had to admit, Hyunjin touching him gave him a sense of comfort, and it had even helped in calming him down. However, with the loss of said touch, Seungmin had no idea how to steady himself. 

He jolted at the sound of rustling fabric and a small shriek, and he bit his lip from the sheer anxiety the entire situation was giving him. He eyed the tunnel exit, feeling inclined to run and return to the ballroom. As much as he hated it, he hated _ this _even more because of the bad memories that came flooding back. 

_ “You are a disgrace to this family!” His father roared, raising a hand to Seungmin’s face and making the boy flinch. He retracted his hand, still fuming at the seams before turning to look at the soldiers stationed outside of Seungmin’s bedroom. “Lock this boy up, and do not let him out until he understands that he is never to leave this castle again. I haven’t the mind to even dare to look at him,” he fumed before trudging away from the room. Seungmin let out a gasp as he felt strong arms grab his shoulders, and tears threatened to fall as he watched his father’s disappearing figure. _

_ “Father!” _

Seungmin was currently crouched on the ground, clutching his head and _ wishing _that Hyunjin would return when realization dawned upon him: What if Hyunjin himself had gotten caught? What if they were coming after him next? What if—

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, that was absolutely _ mortifying_—” A voice suddenly came from above, and Seungmin looked up to see Hyunjin standing over him with a look of concern. “Oh, Lily,” he said soothingly, crouching down to his level and holding his hands. Seungmin immediately let out a sigh of relief, his heartbeat slowly steadying when he realized that Hyunjin was alright. “If I had known you would react like this, I would have never left you alone,” he said ashamedly, to which Seungmin responded with a shake of his head. 

“You didn’t know. Don’t worry about me, I’m right as rain,” Seungmin mumbled as he recollected himself, desperate to change his direction of focus. “So what happened?” He asked after clearing his throat, his eyes begging Hyunjin to not pursue the topic any further. Hyunjin gave him a look of curiosity in return before sighing and giving in, deciding not to question Seungmin as his cheeks immediately turning red from embarrassment.

“If you must know, it is not an exciting experience finding your closest companion and his lover engaging in a passionate session of lip-locking,” he said, his eyes filling with dread and his face morphing into one of disgust. “Though I suppose it _ does _ mean that we won’t have to worry about being caught,” he said, standing up and pulling Seungmin up with him. “But it does mean that my eyes are in need of a thorough cleansing.” 

Seungmin blinked for a few seconds before he finally understood, his cheeks turning red like wildfire. Thats reaction was followed by a burst of laughter, so much so that Seungmin had to clutch his stomach from the pain. “Jisung, I presume?” He asked in between bouts of laughter, so amused that his previous moment was long forgotten. 

“Who else would be capable of such a shameless act?” He retorted, visibly shivering in disgust.

“You seem like a good candidate,” Seungmin teases, not wasting a moment to target Hyunjin’s flirtatious nature. 

“Absolutely _ not_! Well, unless you’re up for it, that is.”

“_Hyunjin!” _Seungmin screeched, whacking Hyunjin lightly on the arm as the older male laughed wildly. “I’m going back. I refuse to tolerate any more of this nonsense,” he declared, crossing his arms and stalking off towards the tunnel. “Utterly disgusting,” Seungmin muttered to himself, his cheeks burning as Hyunjin yelled at his quickly disappearing figure.

“I was _ kidding! _” 

_ “Of course you were!” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew
> 
> i am truly so sorry wow its been a hot minute since i posted and this chapter is all over the place once again sorry for that  
but! i just got back from vacation and im ready to work again! :D hopefully, fingers crossed, i can get better at updating (and writing) haha
> 
> i love you all and happy new year!

**Author's Note:**

> yell at me on my socials if you want:  
[twitter](https://twitter.com/seungminish)  
[curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/seungminish)


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